Retrofit Steering Column Installation Instructions for 1970-75 Camaro For Part # s: 1620860010, 1620860020, 1620860051, 1620869910, 1620869920, 1620869951, 1625860010, 1625860020, 1625860051, 1625869910, 1625869920, 1625869951 www.ididitinc.com 610 S. Maumee St., Tecumseh, MI 49286 PH: (517) 424-0577 FAX: (517) 424-7293 Instruction # 8000000060 REV 04/11
Images or examples in this booklet may vary from your specific installation. (B) (C) These are the components that come with the column. (Black Powder Coated column pictured above) (A) Column & Hardware (B) Horn Contact Kit (C) Wiring Plugs with Terminals & Ignition Relay Pack (D) Floor Mount with Clamp & Gasket (E) Instructions & Dress Up Kit (Dress Up Kit pictured installed on column) We will work through this installation using all these parts. For instruction purposes we will assume the car is all original and an OEM harness. INDEX REMOVAL... 1 & 2 INSTALLATION OF COLUMN...3 INSTALLATION OF KNOBS & LEVERS...4 ELECTRICAL INSTRUCTIONS...5-7 WHEEL INSTALLATION...8 NOTES...9 Note: These vehicles originally had a Neutral Safety Switch on the column. Our column does not include one. ididit recommends a neutral safety switch for all automatic transmissions. If your floor shifter does not have one built in, aftermarket transmission mounted switches are available. (A) (D) Images or examples in this booklet may vary from your specific installation.
REMOVAL of OEM Column: Disconnect positive battery cable. Disconnect battery. Verify that your steering wheel and driving wheels are straight. Under your hood, locate and remove the bolt on the coupler between the column and intermediate shaft. Remove the Shift Linkage (if equipped) from the lower lever on the column. (Figure 1) (Figure 1) In your car, remove lower valance below column. Note: If equipped with vent controls this panel can be unscrewed and can hang off to the side. (Figure 2) Remove the hard cover from the firewallfloor (two screws). (Figure 3) (Figure 2) Under the dash, there are 2 nuts on the outside of the dash bracket. Loosen these two nuts but do not remove. (Figure 4) (Figure 3) Remove the 4 bolts that hold the floor mount to the firewall. Once the bolts are loose, gently peel/ pry the firewall gasket from the firewall. (Figure 4) 1
Removal of Wires: Half way down the tube on the steering column, around the 12 O clock position, there are three wire plugs to disconnect. The first plug is flat and about 4 inches long. Pry the release open and remove the plug. (Figure 5) There are two more attached to the ignition switch that should also be removed. (Figure 5) (Figure 6) Note: They lock into each other and the black one must be removed first. There are 2 release tabs on this connector. Then the white or clear connector can be removed; it has a release tab also. There are also two plugs on the Neutral Safety Switch further down the column. These also must be removed. Now the column is ready to be removed. (Figure 6) If possible, have a friend to help you remove your column because sometimes the joint will stick on the lower column shaft. If the joint is sticking to the lower shaft, the joint can be opened with a screwdriver while the column is pulled from the inside. Now remove the last two nuts that we had you loosen earlier and the column will be free. At this point, the column can be pulled toward the driver and down. Remove the column carefully and remember that the floor mount is still affixed to the column. Try not to smack the dash mount on the dash board. With the column on a work bench you will need to remove the 4 bolts that hold the dash mount to the column tube. Note: The aluminum blocks face the steering wheel end of the column. We will not be reusing the bolts. (Figure 7) 2 (Figure 7)
Installation of column Install the original under dash mount to the column using the provided hardware. Torque bolts to 22 Ft. Lbs. Now wrap the lower 4-6 inches of the column tube to protect the surface finish of the column when completing the installation. Next, slide and tape the floor mount clamp to column. Make sure the clamp is up and out of the way. (Figure 8) (Figure 8) Since the firewall mount is welded to the OEM column, we have included a new floor mount and gasket for this application. Install the new gasket and mount onto the firewall with the original bolts loosely. (Figure 9) (Figure 9) Slide the new column through the firewall mount and into the intermediate shaft joint. A helper is highly recommended here to assist with the joint. Then loosely install the two bolts that hold the column to the dash. (Figure 10) (Figure 11) Make sure the gasket is aligned properly and tighten the floor mount to the floor. Now tighten the two dash bolts to 42 FT. LBS. Next tighten the clamp on the floor mount to the column. This sequence allows the column and its mounts to secure with no miss-alignment. (Figure 11) Finally, secure the joint onto the column with the original hardware. 3 (Figure 10)
Knobs & Levers: Tilt Lever: After removing all items from the package, screw the knobs onto the levers. The tilt lever is installed on the left side of the column in the threaded hole located closest to the dash. We recommend using Locktite. Emergency Flasher: The Emergency flasher is threaded into the hole located on the right side of the column. You will noticed the plastic portion that the flasher screws into is flush with the outer surface when the flashers are in the off position. It is easy to accidently turn the flashers ON while installing which could lead to problems later. Check to make sure the flashers are in the OFF position before continuing. Turn Signal Lever: A screw is provided with the Dress-up kit. This screw with secure the turn signal lever to the column. PLEASE NOTE there are two holes on the turn signal switch. One D shaped and the other is round. The screw is to be inserted in the round hole! Use a #2 Phillips screw driver to tighten this screw tightly. It holds the lever and the switch half s together. (See Figure 12, 13, 14) (Figure 12) (Figure 13) (Figure 14) 4
Electrical: The electrical portion of this is explained in the packet with the relays that you received with the column. Note: There may be a dark green wire left over when this installation is complete. This wire is for the idiot light bulb. If this is important to you, you can wire this green wire to a 2 wire toggle switch. Then run an additional wire to a ground and connect to the other terminal. This will make your idiot lights come on with the switch so you can check for a bad bulb. After the relays and wiring are set up and ready, secure the relays up and out of the way. The relays have mounting tabs to secure them. They do not need to be grounded individually. They should be mounted and routed as not to interfere with the pedals or your feet. It is not recommended to attach these relays to the heater box as excessive heat will shorten the life of the relays. We found a nice location up and to the left of the column on a structural gusset for the firewall. Make sure the black ground wire is connected to a bare metal surface for a good ground. NOTE: It is necessary to secure the relays with the wires pointing down! They are not waterproof and we do not want them to collect water for any reason! NOTE: THE RELAYS AND WIRING RELATED TO THESE ITEMS ARE NOT FUSED! THEY RECEIVE FULL BATTERY POWER AT ALL TIMES. Please proceed with caution. Before connecting the plugs to the column Make sure the key is in the off position (Key only comes out in the off position). There is a small plug with 4 wires coming from the column to the relay pack, this is the ignition switch plug. This plug has a clasp on it. We recommend that at first this plug is only lightly connected without clicking it together completely. If there are any wiring issues this is where they will become evident. The red wire will be where this shows up. If this red wire gets hot disconnect the plug and verify that all wires are connected properly. 5
If you have purchased this column as a Keyless Ignition Column please refer to the Touch-N-Go Start keyless ignition Instructions. Electrical (cont.): Ignition Switch Testing: 1. Verify the vehicle is in park or out of gear if manual transmission. Insert your key in the ignition and turnkey counter clockwise to the Accessory position. Radio, blower motor and dome lights should function. 2. Rotate key clockwise two positions. All accessories should have power and the ignition system should be on. (Coil or electronic ignition has power) 3. Rotate key clockwise one more position and the vehicle should crank and start. If the vehicle does not crank check the neutral safety switch and verify its function. If all the functions are correct secure 4 wire ignition connector tightly. Simple reference of electrical system: Red wire Power (in) Brown wire Accessory feed (out) Pink wire Ignition feed (out) Purple wire Starter signal (out) Note: The Purple wire is interrupted with a Neutral Safety Switch. This car originally had a Neutral Safety Switch on the column. Our column does not include one. ididit recommends a neutral safety switch for all automatic transmissions. If your floor shifter does not have one built in, aftermarket transmission mounted switches are available. 6
Electrical (cont.): Turn signal connections: 1970-74 cars will use the installed 3 7/8 inch wide wire plug. (Figure 16) Just plug the two connectors together. They should match color for color. 1975 cars will require the connector to be changed to the 4 ¼ inch connector (Figure 17). Use a small regular screwdriver (Figure 15) or scribe to probe into the open end of the connector and release the terminals. Then re-install the terminal in the 4 ¼ inch plug in the same terminal location (note the terminal locations letter P Thru G). (Terminal) 3 7/8 4 1/4 (Figure 16) (Figure 17) Test the turn signals: 1. Leave key off and push emergency flasher in. All 4 corners and dash indicators should light and flash. (Pull for off) 2. Push brake pedal, brake lights should come on. 3. Turn key to on position. 4. Check both left and right turn signals and indicators. 7
Steering Wheel Installation: The original wheel will bolt on almost like it was on the original column. Torque to 45 ft. lbs. The one thing that is different is the retainer for the horn pin. Originally this was a snap-in item, now it has a twist lock. This item is a small black plastic piece in the electrical bag. We bagged it all by itself so it wouldn t get lost. It looks like this: The complete assembly should go in this order: 1.) Retainer is inserted onto aluminum plunger with locking tab towards 1 plunger/flat. 2.) Spring is inserted into steering column horn cam. 3.) Aluminum plunger & retainer are 2 pushed into horn cam with plunger/flat first. (Figure 18) 4.) While pushing plunger turn Retainer so that it locks in groove of horn cam. (Figure 18) (Figure 18) Retainer If you have an aftermarket steering wheel, you may need a wire to attach the horn (shown right). We have included it with your column, just in case. (PART# 9000000400) Horn Wire The large nut on the column to secure the wheel should be torqued to 45 ft. lbs and requires a 7/8 socket. It is wise to either unplug the column or the horn while installing the contact plate. The contact plate is beveled and should be installed with the outside being the low part and the center sitting up. (Figure 19) Then install the can and plastic piece so it fits down into the can. (Figure 20) The notch in the edge of the can should be at 12 o clock. These screws should be tight. Now center your horn button and push back in place (reconnect horn or column plug). Test the horn. 8 (Figure 19) (Figure 20)
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